Takamoto's Dogs

Ingo Takamoto was first a foremost a dog lover, but was also a brilliant geneticist

For years, man looked at his closest companion and was at a loss. Ten thousand years of domestication and evolution and while the Dog had far outstripped it's lupine cousin, it was no closer to true communication then than it was before it was domesticated. How many loving and caring dog owners have longed to just speak with their beloved pet? To communicate in a clear and intelligent fashion?

Takamoto Genetics and Augmentation, Inc

Traded under the TGAI, Takamoto is best known as a boutique genetics company. Where the larger companies will do massive projects such as Neko Augmentation processes for thousands or tens of thousands, or diabetic screenings for millions, TGAI does work for clients who might number in the dozens. Takamoto is best known for it's patented Uplift Process which uses a combination of artificial brain components, specifically an artificial frontal lobe, and genetic code tinkering to produce a super smart dog. The end result is a dog that is able to speak, in a rough fashion, as well as having basic problem solving skills, thoughts and opinions, and the other accouterments of sentience.

Controversy:

There has always been a cloud of controversy around Takamotos canines. The animals are unique creatures, each a deliberate creation. While a great deal of effort was put into the process of human cloning, no such effort was put into the acclamation and habilitation of the new canine psyche. They are artificial and they know it. Legally, a Takamoto Canine is intelligent, but afforded no legal rights, no legal protections. At the end of the day, they are afforded the same legal status as a sofa. If a Takamoto dog is killed, mutilated, tortured, neglected, and so on, the only crime commited is Cruelty to Animals.

Creating an abomination like a Takamoto Dog is cruelty to animals. Any process that starts with butchering the brain and adding toaster parts to it is evil.

Typical stance of Anti-Uplifter

The DogsTakamoto's uplifted dogs have human level intelligence. The brightest match human average, while the majority fall into the 9-12 year old range for mental ability. They are able so speak one language at a basic level, and have all of the normal abilities of a dog. Their personalities are far different from human, as they are predominantly a scent based creature rather than sight based. And much like children, they are direct and to the point.

Starting Characters

A Takamoto Dog could be used a PC (Scooby Do, Astro, etc) with the following additions and modifications

Physical stats, such as strength, hit points, etc, would not change as an aspect of the Uplift Process.

Determine mental traits as usual, but Intelligence cannot be higher than human average (9/18 for D&D, 2/5 for WoD)

Perception attributes benefit from better hearing and better sense of smell, but visual perception is given a minor penalty. If merits and flaws are being used: Keen Hearing, Keen Nose, Colorblind

Basic abilities are severely limited by the fact that the dog does not have manipulative appendages other than it's mouth so it cannot talk and manipulate an object at the same time.

Each Takamoto dog needs to have some psychological issues, such as phobias, stress or neurotic triggers, or something of that variety. They were created first and foremost from a point of 'just because we can' and are sold in a commercial consumer economy. This can be as simple as cowardice or anxiety about being alone, or can be as serious as atavistic behavior, excess aggression, or effects that resemble PTSD.

A Few Notes

The talking dog is a common sight in cartoons, but with the advances in technology, creating a talking intelligent dog is not an insurmountable task. Compared to cloning humans, or creating artificial life in a machine, its relatively easy. But this doesn't mean it's right, or ethical. The Takamoto Dog is alone in the world, intelligent but unable to speak clearly or easily, unable to use clever monkey hands. It can see other dogs, and it knows that it is different. While most of the time, the dog in question can be quite happy and appear to be well adjusted, there need to be times when the facade is pulled away and the cruelty is brought to the surface.

Plot Hooks

Those Meddling Kids! - A local investigation group has a Takamoto great dane that serves as a team mascot, as well as being a trained search as rescue dog. The dog is loyal to a fault, but is constantly hungry, and is easily startled and has fear control issues. When he loses a self control check, he has to run away and hide as quickly as possible.

Cujo - Rabies isn't gone, and while great efforts were made to stamp out cancer and diabetes, not nearly as much attention was paid to many animal diseases. The neighborhood Takamoto comes home with his family, but while on vacation in the country was infected with the deadly disease. Mayhem ensues as the dog, it's mind rapidly deteriorating starts freaking out, attacking and killing people.

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the details about the world, company names-bits psuedo-history, add a sense of flair and style which I like, hinting at the much larger world. But it barely scratches the surface of its subject. Could you have done this in 100 words? If you wanted to do approach this a piece of creative writing, as opposed to a served up idea to contribute to other peoples creative efforts, could you have placed some narrative structure to it? Or perhaps presented a thesis and then presented the arguments for an against it?

On a sillier note: your only examples were scooby and astro, seriously? You left James Thurber and Jack London off the table? Even in the realm of speculative fiction, you belittle us all to think that Scooby or Astro would be the only frame of reference suitable to the Citadel.

It was a random idea, and I thought of delving into Lassie or Rin Tin Tin but the only inspiration for this was Astro and Scooby. Plus this was written in one sitting, after waking up with an upset gut from too much Taco Bell. If you would like to add to it, there is an Add an Idea button, and I would like to see what you could do with the idea.

I like this idea and would like to see some more bones on this on. I think it has potential to become the seed for a 30.

Jimmie

Jimmie is a war-dog, employed mainly for sniffing out IDEs and the like. With the greater capabilities of being a Takamoto dog, he does more then simply finding the devices. His collar is outfitted with tracking devices and a small explosive charge. This charge detaches allowing him to position it with his mouth. A video feed with two-way communication is provided to allow him to access both his handlers, and secure databases for tactical/disarming data.

Jimmie has seen too much, even for a dog. He has had blood on his fangs and has been nearly killed by an IDE that was trigged by his electronics. He survived that encounter due to poorly crafted explosives. He has a strong taste for alcohol, but cannot hold his liquor very well, which has caused some serious problems in the past.

Regions

Freetext

After a long night of reveling and merriment celebrating their latest victory, one of the PCs awakens with his/her head shaved and a large ornate tattoo on top of their head. Tacky, yes but also a painstaking work of art that has left them with a headache to beat their hangover. The kicker? It is a huge symbol of the god of Evil, Assassins, the Drow, Munchkins, something really really offensive